At Northside, freshmen wrestlers attempted to pin their opponents as fans cheered. This is the first year for Kimmons to have wrestling. The athletes had different reasons to take on a new sport — some because it’s their main sport, and others wrestled for their own entertainment.

“What motivated me to wrestle was determination, competition, and Coach Shaffer,” Kentario Moss-Bradley, 9th, said. “The first time Coach shook my hand, he asked if I would be doing wrestling. I said yes. Then he said, ‘Wrestling is not for everybody. You have to be mentally tough.’”

Wrestlers encountered many challenges.

“The biggest challenge I had was wrestling for six minutes and practicing for an hour with no breaks and constant moving,” Alec Phetchareun, 9th, said.

Not only did the wrestlers have many challenges to overcome, but so did the coach as well.

“The biggest challenge I had in training 9th graders was the inexperience they had in the sport of wrestling,” Coach Shaffer said. “Our Kimmons wrestlers competed with other wrestlers who have been active in the sport since elementary school. Our freshmen have compiled a total number of 25 wins with ten of those coming from pins.”

Some wrestlers have really proud moments in the sport.

“I am most proud of getting to be on the varsity team with the 11th and 12th graders because I’m only a freshman, and I have big role to play for the team,” Jaybriel Montgomery said.

Most wrestlers had tough barriers to overcome.

“My toughest obstacle was the voice in my head telling me to give up,” Kentario said. “But every time I won a match, I knew right then and there that I had beat him.”